Helpless
by Katrianna Sly
Summary: This is a rewrite, so if you already have read this, go back a read what I've added! Set just after HBP. Hermione is alone at the Black House. She is tormented by a spirit that isn't really there and it drives her to the point of insanity and to cast a sp


Don't own Harry Potter. Never will. Don't really want to, to be perfectly honest. Just like makin' stories.

Oh and I tend to not update if you don't review, so if you're even somewhat interested in what I have so far, just send me something and I'll keep writing. I won't write if I think no one's reading.

Feel free to correct me on anything that may be wrong (spelling, grammar, whatever.) Just don't be mean because I will be mean right back.

By the way…This is a rewrite. I'm not too happy with my story so far and I want to make the chapters longer. It's basically the same, but I'm adding to it and combining chapters. Hopefully it will go better. I'd also like to ask if anyone is interested in becoming a beta. I hardly reread my own work and if someone will be harsh enough to rip my story apart and give it back to me to fix all errors, I would be most happy. Just send me a review, or message, or whatever and I'll let you know if you get the job.

Dumbledore was gone now, and though no one spoke of it, everyone felt lost without their beloved mentor to show them the way. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were confused about what the next step to take was. Harry knew where he was going to start, but where would he go from there? His faithful best friends were determined to follow him every step of the way, but where would he lead them?

Harry decided, though he wasn't going back to Hogwarts, he wanted one of them to be there to watch out for things there and continue assembling Dumbledore's Army. Though Hermione objected, both Ron and Harry insisted she be the one to stay because she simply knew more than Ron, as far as spells went.

Summer had just begun when Ron and Harry left the bushy haired girl alone at Number 12 Grimmauld Place. Members of the Order were constantly showing up to keep her company, but even so, Hermione felt odd being in Sirius Black's house, though Sirius was no longer with them. It still felt like his presence lingered in the house, sulking in the fact that he couldn't leave. Though no matter how many times Hermione thought she felt him walking behind her, every time she turned around there was no one there. Everyone felt his presence, not just Hermione, but they were unable to find any trace of his actual spirit there, haunting them. He was still behind that mysterious and would remain there always.

Hermione had a crush on Sirius when she was a girl and had just rescued him from the dementors in her third year, but the feeling went away as she got older. He was nothing more than Harry's godfather and a fellow member of the Order, and of course a friend. Hermione learned that he had a reputation with women that was infamous, so that helped her crush disappear fast. That kind of thing didn't interest her at all.

Despite being over her crush, it still hurt Hermione tremendously when Sirius was murdered. It broke heart to think of his lifeless body lying unseen behind the veil, and it broke her heart to see the affect his death had on her friends, especially Harry.

And now Hermione was trapped inside his house. It was too dangerous for her to leave, so she was forced to wander the empty hallways just as Sirius had done while he was in hiding. Though no one could find any trace of his spirit haunting the house, she still felt him there.

Perhaps it was just the Dark Magic that ran in the Black family that gave her an eerie feeling. But Hermione knew it was more. She could hardly sleep anymore, and when she did, she would wake up in the middle of the night with a dark shadow of someone hovering over her. When she lit her wand in panic, the shadow was gone. It seemed so real and Hermione could feel anger sparking from it.

Other times, she felt great sadness sitting across from her at the kitchen table as she ate her meals. She even thought she saw the chair tip itself back, as if someone was lounging in it, from the corner of her eye.

All of this nonsense was beginning to drive her mad. Everyone told her there were no spirits in the house. Finally, Hermione convinced herself that it was just being alone in that house that put these thoughts in her head. Her lack of sleep started to get to her though and everywhere she went, she heard sounds or saw things that couldn't possibly be happening. It had to stop and Hermione was ready to do whatever it took to stop it.

First, she needed the proper equipment, and to find it, she sent owl after owl to Hogwarts, requesting books from Professor McGonagall for research. She wasn't denied any book, no matter how odd it seemed for her to be requesting it. Hermione was a smart girl and Minerva believed she wouldn't try anything foolish. She was aware of the girl's obsession with reading and her boredom of the Black House. Minerva was more than happy to help amuse the young, intelligent and beautiful woman Hermione grew up to be. She was very proud to have taught such a clever witch. She had no idea that Hermione was planning something so out of character for her. She was throwing all rationality aside for insanity.

The request for books stopped abruptly and Minerva thought that Hermione may have wanted more than she had time to read. But when she went back and looked at the list of books Hermione had in her possession, it began to worry her greatly of the possibilities of spells that Hermione could be thinking of casting. All of the books held clues to some very dangerous and intense spells. Minerva quickly ran from the grounds of Hogwarts into Hogsmeade where she apparated to Number 12 Grimmauld Place. She searched the house frantically, calling for Hermione. There was no answer. Minerva fell into a chair in the kitchen cradling her head in her hands, afraid of the consequences of sending Hermione those books.

"Erm…Professor? Is something the matter," a voice said. The source of the voice was kneeling next to Minerva. She looked up and was relieved to see the bushy haired teen who had caused her so much worry. She indeed looked tired, but still the same Hermione.

"Hermione, what did you want all of those books for?"

"Well I figured it was a good opportunity for me to read some books that I saw while sneaking around the restricted section with Ron and Harry the past couple of years," she replied with a smile. Minerva looked shocked at her confession and Hermione just grinned. "How else do you think I knew about those books? It's not like I'm trying to get myself into trouble. I've already read most of the other books in the library anyway. I just am always seeking knowledge, Professor," she said impishly. Minerva sighed, convinced that Hermione was still the clever student of hers that would never put herself or others into serious danger.

"Well, if you wish for any other books, I will send them to you. I might as well give you special permission to wander the restricted section until your heart is content. And dear, do try to get more sleep. You're studying far too much and school hasn't even started." With a nod of farewell, Minerva apparated away from the lonely house.

Hermione's smile fell off her face the instant McGonagall was gone. She sighed with relief that she wasn't suspected of being anymore than the book loving student she had always been. She knew that she wouldn't be disturbed from her plans now that she had passed her professor's questioning.

Hermione should have known better than to attempt the unthinkable spell she was researching endlessly. Though her headmistress no longer suspected anything but curiosity, the clever witch was planning something incredibly stupid for any magical person, no matter their skill level, to attempt.

It was just after Professor McGonagall left the Black House when Hermione set to work preparing the spell and the best time to execute it. The place she meant to go was heavily populated during the day, but well guarded throughout the night. A long sheet of parchment lay on the table scribbled with her notes that were collected from the books she sent for. Latin filled the sheet in the form of an extremely long incantation. The margin was filled with notes on pronunciation. The spell could be easily misread to bring even more deadly consequences than it would bring normally, and Hermione didn't want to take any chances.

Just as the grandfather clock struck one o'clock in the a.m., the insanity driven girl apparated to the Ministry of Magic headquarters. She had hoped that she came late enough to avoid stragglers trying to get last minute work done. When her feet touched the hard floor, the presence that endlessly followed her at Number 12 Grimmauld Place lifted off of her. Her mind cleared and she started to rethink what she was doing. She had almost abandoned her mission when the spirit began calling her, leading her away from her original landing spot. It hypnotized her to leave all rationality once again.

Mesmerized, she didn't even notice the path she was taking through the Ministry. Hallway after hallway, door after door, Hermione walked until she found herself at her intended destination. The main feature was a veil, hidden behind it, the body of the spirit. The spell was firmly grasped in one of Hermione's hands while the other held her wand, slightly shaking, the only indication of her nervousness.

Still in her trance, she began to unroll the parchment and chant the Latin written upon it. On and on the parchment went and the magic filling the air was thick. It was beginning to suffocate the girl, mentally and physically. Struggling to finish her incantation, Hermione began blacking out, taking sharp intakes of breath to hold on longer. With the last word, she collapsed to the ground and passed out.


End file.
